Basketball
Jalen Brunson so often receives beckoning “MVP” chants around Madison Square Garden.
Well, MVPs have a habit of raising their game to another level when co-stars, particularly ones as important as OG Anunoby, are out. And that’s exactly what Brunson did.
He put the team on his back and led a furious Knicks fourth-quarter comeback en route to their 124-118 win over the shorthanded Rockets Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
“We know what we’re capable of,” Brunson said. “We put ourselves in those positions. … We knew that we were at fault and obviously we knew they were not going to quit, so we had to step it up. Just having the confidence in each other knowing, knowing we’re not going to quit.”
For a while, this brought back eery memories of what the Knicks looked like last year without Anunoby.
They found themselves down 11 points entering the fourth quarter. Amen Thompson, without Anunoby there to guard him, was torching their defense. They were struggling mightily shooting from 3-point range.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Life without Anunoby, who received the biggest contract in franchise history this past offseason, is much harder. But the Knicks clearly weren’t in the mood for excuses. Teams that consider themselves contenders don’t allow themselves to make any.
They promptly outscored the Rockets 46-29 in the fourth quarter. Brunson scored seven straight Knicks points late in the quarter to give them a 118-114 lead. Then, he stripped Thompson on defense to win possession back for the Knicks. Then, he was fouled and drilled both free throws — making it nine straight Knicks points for him — to extend the lead to 120-116 with 21.2 seconds left. That was enough.
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He led all scorers with 42 points. He added 10 assists as well.
“You have to win games different ways,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We knew it would be that type of game of the physicality, of playing small, the aggressiveness of it and then we got in a hole but we found a way to win. I love the way we responded in the fourth quarter. Whatever it was going to take, we were going to do.”
Yes, the Rockets, who have emerged as one of the NBA’s biggest surprises this year, were playing without Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, and Jabari Smith Jr., all of whom are usually starters. But this was an inspiring comeback without one of their leading stars nonetheless.
The Rockets represent what the Knicks have largely struggled with this season — a young, athletic team that can run up and down the court and hurt opponents in transition. They entered Monday’s game averaging 18.3 fast break points per game — second most in the entire NBA.
Sengun and Smith are major parts of that dynamic for the Rockets, but even without them, the Rockets had plenty of youth and athleticism available in Thompson (No. 4 pick last year), Jalen Green (No. 2 pick in 2021) and Tari Eason (No. 17 pick in 2022).
The Knicks were still outscored 21-17 on fast break points, but most of the Rockets’ damage came in the first half. The Knicks have beaten the Grizzlies, Nuggets and Rockets in the past week, all elite teams in transition. Perhaps they’ve found a blueprint.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“As the season’s gone on, we’ve been able to handle those types of teams,” Precious Achiuwa told The Post. “Young, athletic teams that don’t really shoot it too well but just go downhill. That just goes to show that we continue to get better and better as the season goes on.”
Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges added 22 points apiece, while Josh Hart poured in 19. Achiuwa, who started in place of Anunoby, added seven points and nine rebounds and two steals.
After their five-game win streak was snapped by the Lakers on Saturday, the Knicks are right back on track.
“I think we’re learning each other,” Hart said. “We’re continuing to grow. We’ve got great character guys. High character guys, we’re unselfish. We know at the end of the game, make sure, close game, one possession game, we’re confident.”
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